HOLIDAY LEAVE

The university's paid holiday leave schedule is announced each September. If you are required to work on a scheduled holiday, or if a scheduled holiday falls on your regularly assigned day off, you will be given compensatory time, in accordance with the UHS Overtime and Compensatory Time policy, to use during the 12-month period following the date of the holiday worked. While statewide election days are not observed as holidays by state agencies, you will be allowed sufficient time off to vote without any deduction in salary or leave time in accordance with state regulations.

VACATION LEAVE

Employees working in positions budgeted for a minimum of 4-1/2 months for 40 hours per week accrue vacation time from their first day of employment according to the schedule shown on this page. Employees working for a minimum of 4-1/2 months for fewer than 40 hours each week (but no less than 20 hours each week) accrue vacation leave in accordance with the number of hours for which their position is budgeted. You must, however, have completed six months' of continuous state employment to be eligible to take vacation with pay.

Vacation accrues as follows:

0 - 2 years of service 08 hours per month
2 - 5 years of service 09 hours per month
5 - 10 years of service 10 hours per month
10 - 15 years of service 11 hours per month
15 - 20 years of service 13 hours per month
20 - 25 years of service 15 hours per month
25 - 30 years of service 17 hours per month
30 - 35 years of service 19 hours per month
35 years or more 21 hours per month

While it is the general policy of the university that vacations are to be taken during the fiscal year they are earned, the time may be accumulated and carried forward as follows:

Total State Employment Maximum Hours to Carry Forward

0 but less than 2 years 180
2 but less than 5 years 244
5 but less than 10 years 268
10 but less than 15 years 292
15 but less than 20 years 340
20 but less than 25 years 388
25 but less than 30 years 436
30 but less than 35 years 484
35 years or more 532

Vacation hours in excess of the maximum number to carry forward will be pulled at the end of the fiscal year and credited to your sick leave balance. Maximum hours to carry forward to the new fiscal year is in proportion to FTE. For example: Employees working twenty (20) hours per week at 50% FTE accrue vacation at the rate of 4 hours per month and are eligible to carry forward 90 hours (180 X 50%) and employees working thirty (30) hours per week at 75% FTE accrue vacation at the rate of 6 hours per month and are eligible to carry forward 135 hours (180 X 75%).

If you are separated from university employment, whether by dismissal or resignation, you are entitled to a lump sum payment for accrued vacation time, provided you have completed six months' of continuous state employment. If you leave university employment and start to work for another state agency within thirty (30) days, your unused vacation leave balance will be transferred to the new state agency. In the event of your death, the university will pay your estate for all accrued, unused vacation time.

Requests for vacation leave must be made to your supervisor by completing a Leave Request form; guidelines for submitting a Leave Request are printed on the form.

SICK LEAVE

Your sick leave entitlement is earned at the rate of eight hours per month if you work in a position budgeted for 40 hours per week; it is earned at a lesser rate if your position is budgeted for fewer than 40 hours per week (but no less than 20 hours per week). In both instances, your position must also be budgeted for a minimum of 4-1/2 months.

Sick leave may be used when sickness, injury, or pregnancy and confinement prevent you from performing your duties or when a member of your immediate family is actually ill. For purposes of sick leave, immediate family is defined as "those individuals related by kinship, adoption, marriage, or foster children who are so certified by the Department of Human Services and who are living in the same household. If a family member does not reside in your household, use of your sick leave is strictly limited to the time necessary to provide care and assistance to your child or parent that needs such care and assistance as a direct result of a documented medical condition.

When your absence from work is covered by your sick leave entitlement, it is your responsibility to notify your supervisor at the earliest opportunity and, upon return to work, to complete a Leave Request showing the sick leave time you used. Absences of more than three days may require a statement from your physician before you return to work; in cases of extended illness, a physician's statement is always required before you can return to work.

If you leave university employment you shall have your sick leave balance restored: 1) if you are reemployed by the agency or institution within twelve (12) months of termination, provided there has been a break in service of at least thirty (30) calendar days since termination or 2) if you are reemployed by the state, with an agency or institution other than the agency or institution from which you left, within twelve (12) months of termination.

In the event of your death, the university will pay your estate for one-half of accumulated sick leave, or 336 hours, whichever is less, provided you had continuing employment with the state for at least six months at the time of your death.

SICK LEAVE POOL

Benefits eligible employees who have a catastrophic injury or illness affecting them or their immediate family and who have used all earned leave may request paid sick leave time from the "pool". With each request employees may withdraw a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 30 days from the pool or 1/3 of the balance of hours in the "pool", whichever is less. These benefits begin after a 30 consecutive day waiting period. An employee may receive a lifetime maximum of 90 working days from the sick leave pool.

Employees are compensated for the time withdrawn at your normal rate of pay. The sick leave pool administrator for UH-Clear Lake is the Benefits Coordinator. Requests for time from the "pool" must be approved through the administrator. All withdrawal requests are processed on a first come, first served basis.

Benefits eligible employees may contribute any amount of their regular accrued sick leave time to the "pool". All contributions are combined to form the "pool". Your contribution to the sick leave pool helps to continue income for a fellow employee when a severe illness or injury has exhausted all earned leave time. The employee that you help by contributing to the pool has no more compensation due from the state.

EMERGENCY LEAVE (Bereavement/Funeral Leave)

Emergency leave with pay is granted because of the death of your spouse, or the death of your or your spouse's parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandchildren, and children. Duration of the leave is appropriate to the circumstances and is determined on a case-by-case basis.

Absence due to the death of an individual outside your immediate family (as defined in the preceding paragraph) is taken as vacation or compensatory leave or as otherwise provided by policy. Benefits eligible employees may be allowed time off with pay (emergency leave) to attend the funeral or off campus memorial service of another UHCL employee/retiree. Employees must receive approval of the department head, or designee, in writing prior to absence.
The department head, or designee, may approve time off with pay for any benefits eligible employee to attend the funeral or memorial service of a family member of a UHCL employee/retiree. Family member is limited to employee’s spouse, parent, brother, sister, grandparent, grandchild or child.
Emergency leave with pay must be requested and documented through normal leave reporting procedures.

JURY DUTY LEAVE AND FEES

The time you must be absent from work because of jury duty is granted to you without loss of salary and without affecting any other paid leave entitlement (i.e. vacation leave or compensatory leave) and you are not required to account for any fee or compensation received for jury duty service. The request for jury duty should be made on a Leave Request form and submitted to your supervisor prior to the time the leave is needed. A copy of the jury duty orders must be attached to both the Leave Request form and to your time sheet.

WITNESS LEAVE AND FEES

If you are called to appear in an official capacity in any judicial action or legislative investigation you may neither accept nor receive any witness fees for such a governmental appearance but the time used for such purposes is granted to you without loss of salary and without affecting any other paid leave entitlement (i.e., vacation leave or compensatory leave). If the appearance as a witness is not in an official capacity but is to testify from personal knowledge concerning matters related to the inquiry, then you shall be entitled to any customary witness fees provided such appearance is made on your own time. The prohibition relating to witness fees does not cover mileage or per diem allowances you receive while serving as a witness as long as you do not make a claim for the expenses against the state. Double reimbursement for expenses is not allowed. A copy of the summons must be attached to both the Leave Request form and to your time sheet.

PARENTAL LEAVE

You are entitled to a parental leave of absence, not to exceed twelve (12) weeks, for the birth of a natural child or the adoption of a child under three years of age. This period begins with the date of birth or the first day the adoptive child is formally placed in the home. You may elect to use any combination of available sick leave, vacation leave, compensatory leave, or leave without pay for this period. However, the use of sick leave is strictly limited to those situations clearly falling within the definition of sick leave.

FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE

The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 requires covered employers to provide up to twelve (12) weeks of paid/unpaid, job-protected leave to “eligible” employees for certain family and medical reasons. Employees are eligible if they have worked for a covered employer for at least one year and for 1,250 hours over the previous twelve (12) months.

FMLA provides leave to care for your child after birth, or placement for adoption or foster care; to care for your spouse, son or daughter, or parent, who has a serious health condition; or for a serious health condition that makes you unable to perform your job.

For more information on your rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, please contact the Office of Human Resources.

FOSTER PARENT LEAVE

If you are a foster parent to a child under the conservatorship of the Department of Human Services, you are entitled to a leave of absence with full pay for the purpose of attending staffing meetings held by the Department of Human Services regarding your foster child. In addition, you may attend, with a paid leave of absence, the Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) meeting held by a school district regarding your foster child.

NATIONAL GUARD - ACTIVE DUTY

The university will provide a leave of absence with full pay to any regular employee who is called to active duty with the National Guard by the Governor of Texas. Such leave of absence is limited to fifteen (15) days in any calendar year and will not result in loss of longevity, efficiency rating, vacation accrual, or other benefits which normally accrue to active employees.

If you request such leave, you will be required to provide a copy of the National Guard orders to accompany the Leave Request form.

RESERVE DUTY

Employees called to active reservist duty or engaged in duly authorized military training will be entitled to paid leave of absence not to exceed fifteen (15) days in a calendar year. During this paid leave of absence employees will not lose longevity, efficiency rating, vacation accrual, or other benefits which normally accrue to active employees.

If you request such leave, you will be required to provide a copy of the military orders to accompany the Leave Request form.

Employees called to active reservist duty who have exhausted fifteen (15) days paid leave of absence during the calendar year will be placed on leave of absence without pay. These individuals will accrue state service credit while on active duty but will not accrue vacation or sick leave. Employees on leave of absence without pay will retain any accrued vacation or sick leave and will be credited with such balances upon return to active work status.

Employees having accrued vacation may opt to exhaust any or all vacation time before being placed on leave of absence without pay. During the time that the employee is on vacation all benefits and salary remain intact.

Employees called to active military duty and placed on leave of absence without pay are not eligible to receive state group insurance or state retirement plan contributions.

LEAVE FOR BLIND EMPLOYEES

An employee who is blind is entitled to a leave of absence with full pay to attend a training program to acquaint the employee with a seeing-eye dog which the employee will use. Such leave is limited to ten (10) working days in a fiscal year. This leave is in addition to other types of leave available, and you will continue to accrue sick leave and vacation while on this type of leave.

Upon return to work, you will be required to submit the appropriate Leave Request to document time away from work.

TRAINING FOR VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS

An employee who is a volunteer firefighter shall be granted a leave of absence with full pay to attend training schools conducted by state agencies, provided such leave does not exceed five working days in any one fiscal year.

LEAVE FOR CERTIFIED AMERICAN RED CROSS ACTIVITIES

Any state employee who is a certified disaster service volunteer of the American Red Cross (or who is training to become such a volunteer) will be granted paid leave of up to five (5) days each year to participate in specialized disaster relief services. The employee must have supervisory authorization in addition to a request from the American Red Cross and the approval of the Governor’s Office. The employee will not lose pay, sick leave or vacation time during such leave.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE WITHOUT PAY

With approval of the appropriate Vice President, you may be granted a leave of absence without pay for education, research or writing, study, extended illness, or compelling personal reasons. A Leave of Absence Without Pay is limited in duration to 12 months but generally for staff employees extended leaves of absence are not granted. Each request is reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The needs of the employee and the department are both taken under consideration before leave is granted and in determining the leave period.

When considering a leave of absence, you should be aware that your benefits are affected. For instance, group insurance programs may be suspended unless advance premiums are paid; the state premium sharing contributions stop; retirement contributions stop; and, tax-deferred annuities are discontinued. It should be noted that if insurance coverage lapses during a leave of absence without pay, resuming coverage is difficult. A Statement of Late Entry must be completed and you could be required to submit to a physical exam at your own expense. Re-application is subject to the approval of the plan administrator and coverage is not guaranteed.

With regard to paid leave entitlements during a leave of absence, all applicable entitlements must be exhausted before leave of absence without pay can begin. Further, an employee on leave of absence is not paid for holidays; and vacation and sick leave accrual stops.

When preparing to return to work, you must contact your supervisor at least two weeks prior to your return date. Should you fail to return as expected and fail to notify your supervisor with an acceptable reason for not returning, your employment is considered voluntarily terminated.

Additionally, prior to beginning leave of absence, you must have completed terminal clearance. Arrangements for continuing benefits and terminal clearance are made in the Office of Human Resources.